Charges OK’d against hunters accused of videotaping dogs mauling a coyote, hitting another with a truck

Criminal charges have been authorized against two Upper Peninsula hunters accused of urging hunting dogs to attack a wounded coyote and videotaping the squealing animal, court records show.

The hunters also were investigated after both allegedly videotaped a wounded coyote deliberately hit by one of the hunters’ truck, an MLive.com Freedom of Information Act request found.

Each incident was witnessed by one of the men’s young sons, according to records.

The two men, both from Ironwood, face felony and misdemeanor charges.

Two men face felony charges for allegedly ordering hunting dogs to attack a wounded coyote. Video of the attack was uploaded to YouTube.Video screen grab.

One hunter, 45, faces one count of killing/torturing animals, a four-year felony. The hunter also faces four misdemeanor counts: general violation of wildlife conservation, two counts of abandonment/cruelty to an animal, and taking game from a vehicle. Penalties range from 90 to 93 days in jail.

The second hunter, 34, also faces one felony count of killing/torturing animals and one misdemeanor count of abandonment/cruelty to an animal.

The hunters have been under investigation for videotaping three hunting dogs mauling a coyote one had shot. They also were being investigated for running down a coyote with a truck, then videotaping the injured animal before killing it.

The allegations are detailed in court records MLive.com obtained in August. The documents detail videotapes that had been uploaded to YouTube by one of the men. They have since been taken down, though copies exist.

In one video uploaded Feb. 20 and titled “Hounds Fight Wounded Yote,” hunting dogs Doc, Duke, and Cooter bound through snow toward the mature coyote. Already shot and wounded, according to the video narrator, the coyote lies nearly motionless in the thigh-high drifts. Its eyes blink.

“This is going to be some live action,” the man says as he aims the video camera. “There he his. There he is. Get him, Doc. Get him. … We’re going to get Cooter in here. He’s a machine.”

High-pitched wails punctuate the wooded silence. The coyote is near death at the end.
The second YouTube video was allegedly taped by one of the hunters after his truck was used to strike the animal in the road, authorities said.

The video, called “Yota kills a Yote,” was found during a search of the videographer’s home on May 12, and was taped in Ironwood Township, records state.

“The coyote was struck with a motor vehicle on purpose and left to lay alive in the road after it was videoed for minutes before killing it,” Conservation Officer Grant Emery wrote in the sworn affidavit.

Later, in a separate document, Emery wrote, “The coyote in the video that had been run over by (the hunter’s) vehicle was lying in the road, still alive, and it takes several minutes of talking and videoing before the animal is killed,” according to court documents.

Eventually, the videographer handed the camera to his friend, who began taping. The first man took the revolver “and dispatched the coyote,” Emery wrote.

The cases were investigated by the law enforcement division of the Department of Natural Resources.

Arraignment of the men could happen as soon as Monday in Gogebic County District Court.

Adults should, yes, be identified either when information aboiut their arrest is open to the public, and especially should they be convicted.

In a coincidence, Justus, I came to promote a book I have just begun to read, called Wild Justice:
Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals
Bekoff, Marc. Pierce, Jessica
Marc Bekoff is a cognitive ethologist, and Jessica Pierce a philosopher/ethicist.
I highly recommend it already, as the background scientific observations have been out there for decades, and every close observer of animals has likely seen, if not documented occasions where animals show compassion, fairness, kindness, and sociality toward members of other species.

Although humans have for centuries in some cultures arrogated moral and altruistic behavior only to themselves, it strongly seems that we are failing, especially as compared to other animals.

there’s much ongoing observation of wolves and other animals (coyote observ ation is actually pretty strong) showing their playing by rules, and ethical actions toward other individuals.

Yes, and their addresses if they have any. I spent time as a volunteer in the UP on an eagle study in the 89 and 90, and was quickly educated as to how inbred, ignorant, and cruel most humans were up there. There was one decent bar/restaurant miles away. It had traps and dead animals everywhere on the walls. It has left a lasting impression. I also remember how so many dogs were on chains, way out in the back of the shacks or trailers people lived in, with no food or water on those hot, humid, mosquito-ridden days. I did try to help the one poor dog nearby –he at least got food and water then. We are living in a increasingly cruel, yes, sociopathic society–just as Rome was. I would not expect much from the law on these serial killers getting any hard time. Perhaps they will die a violent death sometime, which, since they live such a violent life.

The second amendment is really about “having a well-ordered state militia.” This has been very distorted by NRA and other pro-hunting entities to promote the false idea that “everyone should have a right to bear arms.”

Oh yes, I definitely agree with you on that point. But, I’ve gotten nowhere when I’ve pointed that out to people, so now I just keep my mouth shut. I hope that doesn’t make me a coward, but I’ve learned to pick my battles.

Jail time-hell! They should be sic’d on by coyotes!! Too bad the you child had to see how disgusting his father is! An eye for an eye-the punishment should mirror the crime!! Bet they get a fancy lawyer who will get them off scott free!!

All of this made me physically ill; I’m nauseated. What decent soul could do this? Yes, these sick, psychos need to be institutionalized as only psychopaths could do this heinous, evil act. Horrible. This seared by conscience and my heart. I just can’t believe it. Turnabout is fair play. Tie them up and arm us up, and we’ll have at it. Let them experience what this helpless, defenseless, coyote experienced that was already in pain.

Coyotes have virtually No protection in any state, can be hunted, trapped, at any time of year, and generally are considered “vermin” or at the very least, “pests.”
Billions of coyotes have been tortured, slaughtered, hung on ranch fences as display, run down by ranchers/hunters dogs, for decades. It is part of the barbaric “western tradition” which now permeates pretty much everywhere, even in the East. Now, even in places like Northern New England, coyotes are hunted down–for nothing–just because they are coyotes, and the rural folk see them as “competition” for the hunts to kill deer, moose and other “game.”
The fact that this magnificent, intelligent, wonderful animal is called a “varmint” by the Livestock Industry should explain the barbarity, the unenlightened attitude of many humans. These coyote tortures and murders are NOT an exception to the rule. I can attest to that, personally.
Until we stop whining, and crying over how “terrible it all is,” with many on these blogs too “sensitive” or “upset” to see the suffering in the eyes of that coyote in the photo, nothing changes.
The federal government agency, Wildlife Services, does this kind of torture and killing every day, every year–mostly for the Livestock Industry:

This is why the Wild Mustangs are rounded up & slaughtered in western states by the BLM, so ranchers can graze their cows/sheep.
This is why thousands of wolves are being slaughtered.
This is why thousands of innocent prairie dogs on National Grasslands (public lands) are being poisoned every year.

This is why we should no longer tolerate any person or any so-called wildlife group that “compromises” with the LIvestock or Hunting Industry. Many groups who are getting donations from well-meaning people, have hunters and ranchers on staff, or on their boards.

Isn’t it time for the sake of these animals, to decide whose side we are on? There is no fence to sit on anymore. Decide whose side you are on–and then decide what you will do for them, and never give up, and don’t back down. And never “work with” The Enemy.

Now sic some hungry coyotes on them, while their bound up good and tight. Now that’s a picture I would LOVE to see! Lowlife, evil, pos, bastards! I don’t blame the dogs, it’s the subhumans that are to blame!

This is so disgusting but sadly this goes on all the time! It has been happening ever since men got firearms. We are aware of it now more than ever because we have the Internet. Animals, both Wild and Domestic, are brutalized every day and until we truly get the FBI in on these cases of Cruelty, with full Prosecution and stiff penalties both Prison and monetary fines, it will continue.

I haven’t watched, but I had read about this story. These are the ones who give so-called decent hunters a bad name. I hate that there is an ‘outlet’ for these monsters’ sick impulses and that they are not held responsible for their aberrant behavior. If they did this to a human being, they’d spend their lives in prison (or….oh nevermind). 😉 But we as humans don’t see the same behavior, only the victims who we prioritize as lower in value than ourselves, and so that the crime isn’t held to the same standard either. The motive is the same – they enjoy inflicting pain and torture on another living thing, and society allows them this ‘opportunity’.

the Judge is Joel Massie jmassie@gogebic.org
the prosecutor tel 906 667 0471, address 200 N Moore St, Bessemer MI 49911
the cases:
defendant Roberts 1556FY, defendant Ellen (last name) 1555FY
arraignment March 2, 2015
EVERYONE SHOULD MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD BY WRITING TO THE JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR AND URGING JAIL TIME along with additional child abuse chargeggs with regard to the presence of the 12 yr old at the scene of the crime

The Game Dept. in NM sets up decoys to “catch poachers’ which they do frequently. Just about every truck or car with hunters that saw these decoys stopped to aim at them, –registered hunters. The hunting industry gives itself a bad name–I wouldn’t worry about the “decent hunters”—since there aren’t any. If they were decent, they would not be killing.

The second amendment is really about “having a well-ordered state militia.” This has been very distorted by NRA and other pro-hunting entities to promote the false idea that “everyone should have a right to bear arms.” This is 100% correct and there is no reason to delete this. Read about it in the Wikipedia if you don’t have Lexus at your fingertips. The 2nd Amendment is so simple and straightforward that it was corrupted by the NRA and others for their own interests. They are wrong.

I vehemently object to ‘Judas Dogs’ as well as ‘Judas Horses’. My own horse is a natural cutting horse and when he was young we used to have fun cutting the Bison at the Bison Farm nearby. When the time came to get the Bison all together to be sent to slaughter they asked me to come. I declined and said ‘My Horse is not a Judas Horse’ and they just looked confused.

I think that most countries, if not all, either don’t have laws against animal cruelty, or that the punishment allowed by the laws are ridiculously low.

For deliberate cruelty,stiff jail sentences and fines, including the confiscation of weapons and vehicles, as well as banning the person concerned of ever owning a dog, or living in a residence where dogs abide, should be put in place and enforced.

These two mentioned in the first article, should have received much longer jail sentences than they did.

EVERY ACT OF CRUELTY TO ANY ANIMAL IS CRIMINAL AND THESE COWARD EVIL PEOPLE MUST BE PUNISHED TO THE MAX !! COUNTRIES WHO HAVE NO LAWS TO PROTECT ANIMALS FROM CRUELTY NEED TO EVOLVE AND SET SOME STANDARDS.

There is a comment I received from Nancy, however, it is not on this blog any longer. I have zero desire to visit anything NRA related; I am aware that the 2nd Amendment is so short and to the point that it does not give us the ‘Right to Bear Arms’ unless we have to form Militias to protect our Country from other Countries. Recall that the Bill of Rights was written after we had defeated the British and that is what the Framers were referring to. It means exactly what it says and nothing more.

Too bad that people are not taught the correct interpretation of this highly specific Amendment. That is all I have to say on the subject. It can be Googled, or better yet look in the Wikipedia if you don’t have Lexus at your fingertips. Firearms are used by HUMANS to kill anything and everything. The fact that Humans do the killing does not make the use of Firearms justifiable.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Wolf 253, the beloved Yellowstone Druid wolf named Limpy, who was shot and killed in March 08, on the very day ESA protections were lifted for the gray wolf, by the then Bush Administration.